Finance Minister Guido Mantega said in New York that February inflation has been more “benign” and that the government has no plans to change the transactions tax known as IOF. The central bank will decide next week whether to hold the target rate at a record low 7.25 percent for a third meeting to support the economy even as inflation has exceeded the 4.5 percent midpoint of its target range for more than two years.

Swap rates on the contract due in January 2015 decreased five basis points, or 0.05 percentage point, to 8.42 percent at 1:43 p.m. in Sao Paulo. The real slid 0.4 percent to 1.9897 per U.S. dollar, paring its advance in February to 0.1 percent.